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Just so I am correct, you do not discuss how to troubleshoot issues surrounding the HVAC system? If not, what do you do? I am not trying to be a smart ass, but that is the first time I have ever heard such a thing from a member of a board.

Yes, in a nutshell we do discuss troublshooting here, sometimes in great detail and we might even ruffle a few feathers along the way. But it is against the site rules for us to knowingly offer anything other than the very basic troubleshooting solutions to DIY's or Homeowners.

Originally posted by jukelemon Understood. I am assuming that only a serviceman has the specs to checkout voltages/valve operation and the like? Is there no simple way/non serviceman way to check ANY of these components so a narrowing down process can occur?

Thanks for your help. Keep it coming ( :

"The electric pilot came on, induction motor came on but no ignition." - you said.
'

By this I understood you to mean the hot surface ignitor (?)is heating up and glowing but the burner is not igniting. Watch the good furnace for a sequence of events up to and including shut down. Many things can fail causing the unit to not work properly. A parts changer has suggested replacing the board without properly diagnosing what is and what is not working properly. Perhaps he has experience with many failures that replacing a board has fixed, but that is not my way.

"Thanks for the suggestions. What are the ways, if any, to test the components that are listed in this post? Why would the control board be defective only after 5 years? "

Have a working knowledge of meters, voltages, hvac, and especially experience in that model of furnace. Say you ohm out the HSI and find it to be 125 ohms but it still glows? What does that tell you? What if you could and did read the voltage to the gas valve and it wasn't 24v.? Or it was but the solenoid wouldn't hold it open?

Your question of why a board could fail in 5 years means to me that you have never experienced a failure in an electronic device? Usually they are caused by something other than design flaws, external to the board that is.

As to what type of board this is, no one knows. But there are rules posted. Your situation is obvious. You don't have the tools or the knowledge to safely work on your unit and no one wants to be responsible for what may happen if you do and screw something up.

Get on a regular service schedule with an Amana Contractor.
It is well worth the investment and you may still be under warranty on some parts. Labor could be extra.

Parts changer I'm not. I just offered a suggestion based on nothing more than a guess. He was looking for advice and I gave him some. Many of you were trying to diligently help him. I appreciate that somewhat, however most of us go to the professional board and read all the complainst about the "hacks". Why should we give out or advise or skill to the "diy" for free.

With no offense to the gentleman asking the question he was looking for a way to avoid paying a legitimate HVAC contractor by having the problem diagnosed for "free". He then may turn to the internet to buy the repair part. I see lots of complaints about internet sales of parts and equipment on the pro boards.

The reason I kept telling him to replace the board wasn't necessarily bad advice, nor was it good advice. The proper response was to diagnose the problem and take corrective action. If you don't have the ability to do so them you should be calling an expierenced HVAC company to service the equipment.

Lawyers don't give free advice why should we? I understand helping someone out if they can't afford a repair my company does it all the time. I have no way of judging this gentleman's aunt's finacial condition, however she doesn't sound indigent living in a home that has 2 amana 90 plus furnaces.

Do lawyers go online and try to solve people legal problems? Not hardly. Most of us spend years learning our trade. Take continuing education to maintain our license's, pay for those license's. etc.......

I never give customers advise over the phone, if you do that's your right and your business and good for you. We should get paid for our "skill".

This gentleman stated going in and at least he was honest that he was not an HVAC technician. He could have went to the pro board by forging some information and probably have gotten his problem solved.

Most of us realized this problem could have easily been solved by someone with some basic understanding of furnace operation and a volt meter. I apologize for my bad attitude in telling him to replace the board. I knew some of you would know I didn't really mean it, obviously some of you did not.

My advice to the gentleman is for his aunt to establish a realtionship with a good HVAC company and allow them to service her equipment and solve her problem.